Men, it’s time to talk for your life

SPEAK UP: A photography exhibition in January will raise funds for the Movember charity, with a focus on men’s mental health and suicide prevention. The project team behind the event, called Hear4U, are front, from left, Krissy Mackintosh, Jo Higgins-Ware and Renee Grant. Some of the 26 Gisborne men from different industries and backgrounds who have been gathered together to back the event are, from left, Scott Grimson, Andy Jefferd, Shane Kuru, Ben White, Steve Lovelock, Ollie Suttor and Heith Hawea. Picture by Liam Clayton

Men need to talk more about their mental health — and if they did, lives would be saved says former All Black Andy Jefferd.

Mr Jefferd is one of 26 Gisborne men, all from different backgrounds, brought together for a Movember charity fundraiser created by Krissy Mackintosh.

Called Hear4U, Mrs Mackintosh said she was raising a son in this world and realised how hard men found it to open up to each other.

All money raised will go towards the Movember Foundation — a charity that focuses on men’s health, in particular mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

Another member of the group is Ollie Suttor, who works in mental health for Tairawhiti District Health as a clinical coach. It is a newly created role, and he is the first to hold it. The role involves coaching mental health professionals to evolve in their roles, with an aim to achieve better outcomes for people experiencing distress.

Mr Suttor said men struggled to be vulnerable, or acknowledge when they were not feeling great.

His advice to men who had a mate struggling was, “just be with them”.

“Don’t try to solve all their problems.”

He brought up All Black coach Steve Hansen’s words to media after NZ’s loss at the Rugby World Cup 2019 — that allowing yourself to be vulnerable and show emotion was really important.

Mr Suttor said for a rugby coach, and what many see as the epitome of a NZ bloke, to talk about mental health at that level showed there was definitely more awareness of the issue.

Mr Jefferd became a farmer and horticulturist after his All Black career.

He said men were quite happy to talk about physical ailments.

“But we’ve got to get talking about the mental health, and saying I’ve been down lately.

“We can prevent a hell of a lot by talking it through.”

Another member of the group from the agriculture industry, Heith Hawea, said many Kiwi men hide behind a tough persona.

The men were chosen by Mrs Mackintosh with the help of Renee Grant, who together with Jo Higgins-Ware make up the team for the Hear4U project.

They have seen the huge effect men’s health in the form of depression, anxiety and stress has had in their own group of friends, and in the wider community of Gisborne.

“We all feel like it’s time something was done to bring awareness and support to this issue.”

They will host a photographic art exhibition and auction event. Photographers Jo Higgins-Ware and Gwenda Harvey will take photos in different settings of the 26 men, along with dried floral wreaths. The wreaths are used to symbolise not giving up, even when you are not in “full bloom”. Everyone in the Hear4U project has a connection to suicide, depression, anxiety or is a supporter of good mental health.

They will hold a live auction in January, with all of the money raised from this event and leading up to it, donated to the Movember Foundation.

¦ Friday, January 31.

Ashwood Lounge, The Poverty Bay Turf Club, Makaraka Racecource.

Tickets available from Grant Bros, $50, R18 event.

¦ Anyone who would like to sponsor or donate can deposit straight to an independent bank account at ANZ.

A receipt for donations will be issued by Movember once the funds have reached them.

Account Name: HEAR4U

Bank: ANZ

Account Number: 06-0637-0764075-00